An in-depth look at the Clinton LumberKings from radio broadcaster Dave Lezotte. The LumberKings are the class A Midwest League Affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.

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The second and final installment of my look at the potential 2010 roster finally makes its way to the LumberBlog today. I had originally planned on getting it out before the Hot Stove, but last week was a busy one.

In a way, it’s nice to save this second part till now. I had the opportunity to talk with manager John Tamargo about the team during our car trips to and from the Quad City Airport in Moline, IL. It was good to pick his brain on some of the talent he had in Everett last year.

With that being said, I want to preface my following predictions. At this time, we do not know the 25-man LumberKings’ roster for next year. The Seattle Mariners will not finalize that until camp breaks in early April, and at that time we will know for sure. It is common for changes to be made even after that point. Many people didn’t know that Scott Savastano, the man who turned into the offensive MVP of the team last year, was a last-second add to the roster. Two years ago, Mitch Moreland was scratched from our Opening Day roster because of a minor injury. You just never know until the bus shows up.

A First-Rounder Not Named Ackley

In my post last week regarding the Top 10 Seattle Prospects as selected by BaseballAmerica, I mentioned a young man by the name of Nick Franklin (pictured right). While Dustin Ackley has attracted most of the spotlight, Franklin is also a rising star. The 18-year-old shortstop was Jack Zduriencik’s second first-round pick (taken 27th overall) out of Lake Brantley (FL) High and had a nice showing in six games with Tamargo’s AquaSox (.400, 3 XBH, 2 RBI in 20 at-bats). Seattle scouting director Tom McNamara liked his confidence and fielding ability in a brief workout with the big-league club last August. I don’t think you’ll see Ackley in Clinton next year, but Franklin could very well add some first-round flavor to the roster.

Franklin might not be the only talented shortstop to head here. South African-born AnthonyPhillips made 67 starts at short for Everett last season and put up some respectable power numbers at the plate. The 19-year-old hit .247 with 8 doubles, 7 HR and 28 RBI over 68 games in the Northwest League last season. Venezuelan shortstop Gabriel Noriega could also make the club, following an impressive second season at Pulaski. Noriega hit .311 with 14 doubles, 4 HR and 26 RBI in 61 games last year.

Avila Following the Gac Path?

Staying on the Everett infield, a lot of folks have asked me if Gerardo Avila (pictured left) might head to Clinton. As Midwest League diehards already know, Avila is a three-season veteran with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (’06-’08), but never hit above .260 and had just one career homer in the league in 63 games. Then, following the Ian Gac pattern, Avila went to High Desert in 2008 and found his way back to the Northwest League in 2009. There, he finally went off for a league-high 13 HR while also finishing first in slugging (.582), second in RBI (54) and third in hitting overall (.333). As Gac-like as this story is going, he could very well be in Clinton. However, he could also go back to the Cal League, where he hit .303 in nine games two seasons ago as a Maverick.

If Avila heads back to High Desert, Jharmidy DeJesus could be the man to fill first base. DeJesus was amongst my predictions for last year’s club and was the #8 prospect in the Mariners’ system prior to last year. Hailing from Jose Vallejo’s hometown of Bani, Dominican Republic, DeJesus hit .249 with 7 doubles, 4 HR and 24 RBI in 48 games with Pulaski last year. He made 30 starts at first base in a platoon situation with 11th round pick Tim Morris (.214, 4 HR, 24 RBI in 50 games).

Headlining the group of potential Clinton catchers is certainly Steven Baron, Seattle’s supplemental first-round pick (#33 overall) out of Ferguson (FL) High School. Baron struggled in his first pro assignment with Pulaski, hitting .179 with 2 HR and 13 RBI in 30 games. However, his numbers slightly improved towards the end of the season. Baron raised his average 39 points over his final seven games. Taking into consideration that ’09 LumberKing Nate Tenbrink hit just .198 with Everett in 2008 prior to batting .282 with 10 HR and 59 RBI last year, it’s possible that Baron comes to Clinton and improves at the plate. However, Tenbrink was older and more experienced than Baron will be heading into 2010. Tenbrink also didn’t have the added responsibilities of working with a pitching staff like Baron has.

If no Baron, 2009 draft picks Trevor Coleman (9th round) and Brandon Bantz (30th round) could catch for the Kings. Coleman struggled, hitting .184 in 32 games with Everett, while Bantz produced a solid .290, 3 HR, 15 RBI stint with the AquaSox. Given the fact that Juan Fuentes, Tommy Johnson and Henry Contreras all saw limited time behind the plate in Clinton last year and could be back, it’s quite possible that none of these three arrive in ’10.

A Wealth of Potential in the Outfield

When looking at the outfield of both Pulaski and Everett, it’s hard not to get excited about thegroup that could be coming in. The AquaSox had both James Jones (4th round) and Matt Cerione (13th round) in their outfield last year, in addition to Jose Rivero (pictured right). Jones hit .311 over 45 games, mashing 3 HR and 24 RBI in that span. Cerione flashed a little more power with 7 HR, hitting .266 with 14 RBI over 43 games. Rivero finished third on the club in RBI behind Avila and Mario Martinez with 32, going along with his .251 average and 4 HR.

Much like the catching corps, it’s tough to say which of these players will be LumberKings this year. It’s more likely that we see the return of Ryan Royster, Welington Dotel, Dwight Britton and others at least at the beginning of the season.

The Rotation: A Tough Act to Follow

It’s no question that pitching was the key to success for the LumberKings last year, specifically starting pitching. At times last year, at least three Kings’ hurlers ranked amongst the league’s Top 10 in ERA. Kenn Kasparek finished the season as the ERA leader, Clinton’s first since Salomon Torres in 1991. Quite simply, it’s going to be hard to top last year.

Here’s some of the new names that might try. Right-hander Taylor Stanton (pictured left), Seattle’s 26th round pick in 2008, had a breakout year of sorts with Everett. In 15 starts, he went 5-3 with a 3.50 ERA. Most notably, he led the rotation in innings (87.1), WHIP (1.23) and wins (5). Outside of Stanton, only two other pitchers made at least 14 starts for the AquaSox…Chris Kirkland (a LumberKing briefly last year) and right-hander Luke Burnett. Like Stanton, Burnett was an ’08 draft pick (14th round) that finally saw action last year. He went 2-4, 4.66 in 14 starts.

Righty Taylor Lewis (3-1, 7.82 in 5 starts) and left-hander Nick Czyz (2-2, 3.34 in 5 starts) were also brief members of the Everett rotation. Lewis also logged one start for Pulaski.

Transitioning back to the Appalachian League, the Pulaski club featured four pitchers with eight-or-more starts. Thirty-sixth round right-hander John Housey (3-2, 2.62) was the most successful of that bunch, posting a 1.10 WHIP and a .194 opponent batting average. Righty Brandon Maurer (3-4, 3.61 in 12 starts, 1 CG) and Jean Tome (3-4, 5.18 in 10 starts) put up very similar numbers. Eighth-round lefty James Gillheeney is the top draft pick of the group (8th round), but he went 0-3, 4.84 over six games, four starts.

This is a resounding theme, but with Kirkland, Anthony Vasquez, Maikel Cleto, Andres Esquibel and Jon Hesketh all possible returnees, its not for certain who might join the rotation this year. One thing is for sure, they have their work cut out for them to match last year’s league-leading 3.35 team ERA.

Can the Pen Get Any Mightier?

Much like the conversation on the starting rotation, it’s fairly clear that next year’s bullpen will have big shoes to fill. Last year’s staff featured All-Stars Ruben Flores and Cheyne Hann, plus solid set-up in guys like Brandon Josselyn, Jose Jimenez, Brian Moran and Matt Renfree.

Next year’s pen might very well consist of some of the pitchers mentioned in the above section, but here’s a few more to consider. Right-hander Christian Staehely (pictured right) went 4-2 with a pen-best 3.16 ERA in Everett, striking out 40 while walking only nine over 31.1 innings. Pulaski right-handers Jorden Merry (40th round in ’09) and Chris Sorce (26th round in ’09) were the most serviceable relievers in an otherwise lackluster pen. Merry led the club in saves, converting 5-of-6 in addition to his 2-1, 3.06 statline. Sorce was 2-1, 3.45 with a save in two chances over seven outings.

Some AZL Standouts

At about this point, I’m sure you’re thinking “what about the guys in Peoria?”. Well, many of the players listed above (Franklin, Rivero, Housey, etc.) did spend some time in the Arizona League last year. I’ll list a few more below who could see Clinton this year.

First-baseman Rich Poythress, last year’s second-round pick and a Golden Spikes finalist while at Georgia made his pro debut in AZ and hit .300 with a HR and 6 RBI over six games. It’s very possible Poythress’s college experience (.376, 25 HR, 86 RBI as a junior) will help him move directly to High Desert like fellow second-rounder Dennis Raben did a year ago. First-baseman Evan Sharpley, Seattle’s final draft choice in 2009 (50th round) had a nice showing over 37 games, hitting .333 with 12 doubles, 7 HR and 29 RBI. Second-baseman Kevin Mailloux (45th round) hit .311 with 14 doubles, 5 HR and 37 RBI before a brief call-up to Everett.

On the mound, Peoria’s most impressive man was their closer. Right-hander Jeff Breedlove went 2-1 with a 1.52 ERA and converted 10-of-12 saves. Opponents hit just .205 against him over his 20 appearances. In the rotation, Miguel Celestino (5-3, 4.73) and Chris Kessinger (5-3, 2.45) were the only pitchers with at least seven starts. Kessinger was a 37th-rounder last season.

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And there you have it, my preview is complete. Again, this is all speculation and we won’t know until early April who has actually made the 25-man roster. Once that announcement is out, you’ll see it here and on LumberKings.com before anywhere else. Finally, as I said at the finale of Part One, if there’s anyone I’ve overlooked, any mistakes you’ve caught or any differing opinions you might have, feel free to add your thoughts/comments.

As promised, it’s the second annual “Predict the Roster” segment here on the LumberBlog. With this being the second season as a Seattle Mariners affiliate, I can now talk about players that might return from last year’s club in addition to new faces from the Everett, Pulaski and Peoria rosters.

Part 1 starts with a look at who might be returning from the 2009 squad. The LumberKings suited up 57 players last year, many of whom saw limited action in black and green. Twelve position players appeared in less than 20 games, while 12 pitchers appeared in less than 10 games.

There’s also some regulars from last year’s club that might get a re-visit. We’ll start there.

Last year’s Opening Day roster featured a pair of highly-touted 2007 draft picks in DennyAlmonte (2nd round) and Daniel Carroll (3rd round). Both have had a measure of success in the Midwest League, but both have also had their struggles.

After hitting .262 with 12 HR in the first half, Almonte suffered through a dismal second half. He hit just .183 following an All-Star appearance and hit just one more homer over his final 153 at-bats. Amongst league leaders in RBI at one point, Almonte finished with 58 (only 14 in the second half). Is he dominant when he’s on? Absolutely. He practically carried the team through May with 8 HR and 21 RBI. Still, it’s hard to ignore his .091 month of August and his 148 strikeouts in 409 at-bats.

Carroll’s season was derailed by a pair of injuries. He missed two weeks with a groin issue suffered on Opening Night in Burlington and then spent nearly all of May and June coming back from a broken thumb. Once he got truly healthy, Carroll started to hit. Following the All-Star break, he hit .240, scored 29 runs and stole 15 bases. He’s been at High Desert before and should get a chance to make that roster with a good Spring.

Bottom line, I believe both Almonte and Carroll will be in High Desert to start 2010. Almonte’s key to staying there is making consistent contact, while Carroll’s I believe is simply staying healthy. Only time will tell.

If Almonte is gone, who will step in to be the primary power threat? I think we see the return of ultra-talented third-baseman Mario Martinez (pictured left). At age 19 last year, Martinez hit .214 with 2 HR and 24 RBI in 61 games with Clinton. He was getting hot down the stretch of the first half, but was then sent to short-A Pulaski at the All-Star break. There, he hit .308 with 20 doubles, 3 HR and 33 RBI in 71 games. Yes, he hasn’t hit for consistent power yet in his career, but the Mariners have high hopes for him and this could be the breakout year. Defensively, he looked great at both third and first base. Where he plays next year will likely be determined by whether or not Jharmidy DeJesus makes the roster.

Other position players who could return include Travis Howell (.205, 8 HR, 29 RBI in 66 games), Maximo Mendez (.213, 8 triples, 38 runs scored, 20 steals in 64 games) and Terry Serrano (.236, 40 runs scored, 18 steals). All three should go to High Desert, but very well could see time back with Clinton next year following injury-plagued 2009 seasons.

Now that we’ve covered some of the more familiar faces, let’s move on to the guys who had brief stints in Clinton last year.

When talking about position players, I’m excited to see what a guy like Ryan Royster can do with a full season in the Midwest League. In eight games last year, Royster hit .333 with 3 doubles, 2 HR and 7 RBI. He spent most of his year at Everett and performed there, hitting .325 with 7 HR and 27 RBI in 41 games.

Another intriguing hitter is Welington Dotel. He exhibited tons of raw power in batting practice, but belted just one homer in 19 games. Dotel did hit a solid .286 and drove in 11 runs in 49 at-bats. I believe we’ll see him in the Clinton outfield this season.

We won’t see 2009 third-rounder Kyle Seager back, but we might see the return of sixth-rounder Shaver Hansen if for no other reason than shoring up his defense (13 errors in 36 games, primarily at third base). Hansen hit .205 with 7 RBI and could probably use another year against Midwest League pitching as well.

Back to pitching, there’s several 2010 rotation candidates that spent brief time with the LumberKings last year.

At the top of the list is hard-throwing righty Maikel Cleto (pictured right), who arrived in late June after some visa issues. Two stints on the disabled list and a very strict pitch count allowed us a very brief look at Cleto, and it was hard to determine if he was the 0-3, 5.33 guy we saw over eight starts or the guy who struck out six over 3.0 innings in a matchup against Carlos Zambrano and the Peoria Chiefs on August 20. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to see Cleto mature in the rotation.

Another potential starter coming back could be Anthony Vasquez. Seattle’s 18th round pick out of USC went 3-3 with a 5.66 ERA in 7 games, all starts. The numbers aren’t overly impressive, but Vasquez did win each of his last two starts, lowering his ERA from 7.71 to 5.66 in the process. He also shut down a volatile Great Lakes Loons’ offense to a run on eight hits over 5.2 innings in his LumberKings’ debut on August 1. The left-handed Vasquez could be a top-flight starter next season.

Right-handers Andres Esquibel (1-1, 4.91 in 8 games) and Chris Kirkland (0-1, 5.00 in 4 games), and left-hander Jon Hesketh (1-1, 12.60 in 3 games) could all potentially be starters next year as well.

Esquibel was 2-4 with a 5.00 ERA in Everett, but flashed dominance with a three-hit complete-game shutout win over Boise on August 6. Kirkland, meanwhile, led the Northwest League with 85 strikeouts. He went 4-5 with a 4.83 ERA in 15 starts. Hesketh didn’t fare well in Clinton, but did limit opponents to a .188 average while going 0-1 with a 1.67 ERA in seven outings with the Aqua Sox.

The 2010 bullpen is less clear. Daniel Cooper, a teammate of Vasquez at USC and Seattle’s 21st round pick, went 0-1 with a 9.28 ERA in eight relief appearances with the LumberKings last year. Ogui Diaz spent most of 2009 as an infielder, but converted to right-handed reliever and went 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in four games with Pulaski. The rest of the pen is a guessing game.

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That’s just the first part of my two-part “Predict the Roster” segment. Next week, I’ll look at potential LumberKings coming from Everett, Pulaski and Peoria. Feel free to add your comments on my predictions below, especially if any of the players I’ve mentioned have changed organizations without my knowledge. Hey, I’m human.

Clinton, IA – The Clinton LumberKings, in conjunction with the Seattle Mariners have announced a series of roster moves today.Left-hander Derrick Saito has joined the club following a three-player deal between the Mariners and Kansas City that sent infielder Yuniesky Betancourt to the Royals.

Saito was originally drafted by the Royals in the 16th round of the June 2008 draft out of Cal Poly.The Wailuki, Hawaii native went 2-6 with a 4.15 ERA and two saves for Kansas City’s low-A Midwest League affiliate in Burlington this season.He struck out 53 while walking just 15 over 22 appearances, all in relief.Saito faced the LumberKings twice as a Bee, going 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA and four strikeouts in 2.0 innings.

To make room for Saito, right-hander Andres Esquibel was sent back to short-A Everett.Esquibel was 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in eight outings, one start with Clinton this season.

The Mariners also announced two other moves to the Clinton 25-man roster.Outfielder Steve Moss was released by the organization, clearing space for outfielder Maximo Mendez to return from the disabled list.Moss hit .238 with nine doubles, four home runs and 26 RBI in 43 games with the LumberKings this season.Mendez is hitting .203 with eight triples, 35 runs scored and 19 stolen bases, but has been on the disabled list since June 22.

Saito has yet to choose a number.The Clinton roster stands at 25 active, with two listed on the disabled list.

The LumberKings (7-11) open a three-game series against the Fort Wayne TinCaps (15-3) at Parkview Field tomorrow night.First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM central time.Listen to the game on AM 1390 KCLN in Clinton or live on the web at www.kcln.com.

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